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Throttle Control

9K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  Plasmablaster 
#1 ·
The search function is helpful, but I'm looking for a little more advice specific to my set-up.

I'm having, what I feel is trouble with my throttle control. My current set-up probably hasn't helped me either. I ride a 2012 D675, -1/+2 sprockets, 1050 throttle tube.

I have some decent tight technical corners I ride almost daily and just can't seem to feel comfortable really getting into these corners. It feels like the second I ease off the throttle the engine braking hits hard, and trying to feather the throttle back on seems to hit equally hard, making speed adjustments in the corner unsettling. I find myself constantly battling with feathering throttle and clutch to smooth out low speed tight corners. Although when feathering clutch in first or second gear, driving out of the corner can get a little sketchy too if I let the clutch out too fast sending the front end up in the air.

I'd consider myself a novice rider, but before the D675 my ZX6R didn't feel as twitchty. Not that I'm complaining, the 1050 throttle tube for all other purposes has been a big toothy smile from ear to ear for riding elsewhere and I sure as hell love the D675!

So, can anyone offer some adjustments that might make the throttle control a bit easier for my ham fisted novice skill set? I don't plan on changing my sprockets back to stock gearing, but I am considering switching back to my OEM throttle tube. I am just not sure if that will make much difference in the engine braking. Is there a better way to reduce the engine braking? I've read that upping the idle speed can help, is this true? I've also read that a lot of people like the motion pro kit with the street or progressive reel. Any other suggestions or do I just need to keep practicing throttle / clutch control?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
How long have you had your triple? Mine also felt very twitchy at first but you just have to get used to it, after a few months with my 1050 tube everything smoothed out. It's just a matter of reprogramming your brain to roll on infinitesimally allow.
 
#3 ·
Mostly muscle memory, you have to retrain your brain as Aeolus mentioned. Other thing I can think of is throttle cable slack, too much or too little makes for twitchy throttle too.

I have the Motion Pro kit with progressive reel and it's great, let's you keep stock control for low speed stuff until you really open it up.
 
#4 ·
I find the off-on throttle transition on these bikes extremely twitchy! No doubt this has a lot to do with emissions, so they likely map the off throttle extremely lean to pass requirements.

On my STR for commuting/street riding, I can deal with it, but don't like it.

On my race 675R, I had to get a slip-on/Bazzaz with the Triumph race map as a base to eliminate the jerkiness. Night and day difference, but $$.
 
#5 ·
Like others have said, practice mainly--it does take time.

Practice at slow speeds first. If you have good throttle control at slow speeds, it will exponentially increase your higher speed throttle control. It may seem elementary, but, practice your figure-eights WITHOUT using brakes.

Also, you may be in too high of a gear (you might need to shift down to first even). Being in the right gear improves throttle smoothness. When shifting down, blip the throttle to avoid to much rear feedback on entrance.
 
#6 ·
I got my D675 late last June. I'm just coming off 6 months of hiatus due to living in a frozen wasteland so I'm still shaking off some rust as riding season is just coming into season.

I have a Jardine slip-on and loaded one of the maps with TuneEcu, and tweaked it some. Can't remember everything I tweaked from last season at the moment, though I know I disable the intake flapper and exup as well as I think i bumped idle speed a couple hundred rpm.

I'd love to get a custom tune to help things out but I have a kid on the way so funds this season will be minimal.

I'll have to re-check my throttle cable slack, I've always run my slack pretty tight so maybe I'll loosen that up a little. I may have to go back to my stock tube though as I've always been meat fisted, which also lends to problems when torquing bolts down...I have a nasty habit of over torquing bolts, lol.

Thanks for the input!
 
#9 ·
Ok so revisiting this topic, I let some slack out on the throttle cable and probably have about 1mm of free play now. Still less than the 2mm they say but anymore slack would just feel sloppy and unnecessary to me.

This has helped me quite a bit for small throttle adjustments mid corner when accelerating as I don't get the same sharp jerks of power like before. Letting up on the throttle still seems a bit tricky especially in 1st gear when doing a sharp corner. I always blip throttle on a down shift so switching gears isn't my problem per say. It just seems like I get a lot of engine brake when I close the throttle pre-corner entry when I want to coast in before hitting throttle to drive out of the corner.

I mainly have trouble with the engine braking when I'm hitting a switch-back pair of corners. These are low speed 1st gear corners for me on a public road where the first corner is also down hill. As I drive out of the first corner I then let off the throttle just before entering the second curve. Going corner to corner the engine braking between the two upsets the bike a little.

I suppose this is the part where practice, practice, practice would do me good. Just thought I would update that giving the throttle a little more slack than I had prior has helped half of my troubles a little.
 
#10 ·
Are you doing this for leisure for racing it? Do it in 2nd and you'll feel a lot let twitchy. First gear sucks, for almost every vehicle
 
#12 ·
Your gearing setup probably doesn't help. Just curious though, how is your chain slack?

The engine braking thing is confusing because first gear should engine brake pretty heavily. Did you check your clutch slack too? If it's overly taut it might actually be lifting the plates a little. If that's what's happening I would go and measure the stack and see how much premature wear you've got.
 
#13 ·
Aside from actually working on the bike for slacks, clutch or chain or throttle. Do the same
Corners in 2nd ( as mentioned) but check where you come into the corner. A good entrance with the 2nd corner already in mind will help you add throttle at a better time pre entry or mid corner so you don't have to dive off the throttle and face the engine braking.
I struggled with this for awhile on several corners, and said ' ****' it and came in later/ further toward the outside of the corner and really kept the same throttle throughout. Didn't have to downshift or let off at all. Very smooth. But... You have to then work on the lean angle ; p

Yes in 2nd with less throttle you might be going slower. And have a slower drive out, but 1 you arnt racing anyone but yourself and 2. It's going to be smoother
At least this works for me

And as the above members have mentioned try those changes out and keep us updated.
 
#14 ·
Hey guys. It's been a while now and I can say things are getting better, slowly. I ended up taking some slack back out of the throttle. It isn't as tight I originally had it, but more taught than my first adjustment this season. I really hate a loose throttle. It's been practice, really. I've been finding that using the rear brake lightly while not completely closing the throttle helps keep the engine braking minimized. I've also adjusted my clutch lever closer to the grip so I don't have to reach as far for feathering the clutch mid corner if I must. I've also found that as I practice and ride this particular spot more, I'm taking it faster and reducing my need to let off throttle. So more practice, more speed, less backing off on the throttle, less engine braking. Perhaps the solution for me was to just go faster, lol.

Thanks for help!
 
#15 ·
Stock for stock the Daytona's transition is way smoother than most SS bikes I've risen....especially compaired to the super twitchy R6. That was a notable factor in my decision to buy a Daytona was the IMO smooth throttle transition. Idk how long you have been riding your bike but try and give it some time.
 
#16 ·
If you believe your as smooth as you can be you may try getting the bike mapped to help this. A GOOD dyno tunner can map the bike so the initial off throttle, trailing throttle to opening is not so abrupt as to upset the chassis. It can make a world of difference and certainly give increased confidence.
 
#18 ·
1050 tube... -1/+2 gearing mod... and "going for it" entering turns hot in first? Sorry pal, you're asking for it. When carving canyons it's only the tightest of the tight hairpins that I drop to 1st and my gearing is normal. Why? This bike becomes twitchy between 4.5-7K RPMs and although 2nd won't allow for the fastest possible exit, it does allow me to concentrate on the turn rather than the throttle. So either stay above 7K or below 4.5K when cornering. Use 2nd or even 3rd if needed - after all with such gearing your 2nd should be something like a normal 1st...
 
#20 ·
1050 tube... -1/+2 gearing mod... and "going for it" entering turns hot in first? Sorry pal, you're asking for it.
Yeah, 'fraid so. Physics is solidly against you with that setup and approach. More leverage on the throttle, and more again on the back wheel (than stock) with no slipper clutch and bigger pistons (more engine braking) than a Jap i4.

I hated the 1050 tube on my first gen Daytona. The number of times it was nice to get to full throttle a split second quicker (only really on track, so almost never) was far outweighed by how tentative it made me cornering because I couldn't make those fine adjustments without the bike bucking under me.

Good to hear you are getting a feel for it with practice - to be honest if you're unwilling to change your setup you are left with changing your style as the only option. I agree with some of the above suggestions, especially always keeping the throttle at least partially open as you go through the corner so you never have to transition to and from completely closed or juggle throttle and clutch, and trying that particular corner in 2nd. That in itself will make it much smoother for you, and the torque of these bikes in the midrange should still allow you to get decent drive out the other side.
 
#19 ·
One thing that I recently learned to use and has helped me a ton when dealing with the twitchy throttle is trail braking.

You apply the brakes and ease off the throttle (but do not get completely off) when you're about to enter the turn. Once in the turn, begin to taper off the brakes and proportionally roll the throttle on.

With this method, the throttle is never "off" so there's no abrupt on/off twitchiness.

It's best to practice this method in straight line before attempting while turning. Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·
Last year I bought my Daytona new and I felt it was pretty twitchy. I installed the Motion Pro kit with the progressive reel, and have barely any free play in my cables. This seasons first ride was incredible. I don't think it's specifically the fact I had the Motion Pro kit (which is awesome for other reasons) but the cables are just barely long enough (or the cable sheath just a touch too long) so there's no room for slack. It's so much smoother, even though the throttle opens up a lot quicker even on the low end of the progressive reel.

That's my experience, but I'm not really mechanically minded or super experienced with motorcycles in general so it may not be really accurate.
 
#22 ·
I installed the Motion Pro kit with the progressive reel, and have barely any free play in my cables. This seasons first ride was incredible. .
I installed "throttle tamer". Progressive reel, opens slowly and then accelerates. (first on the left):

http://www.g2ergo.com/product-category/street/

I was a bit wary regarding real-world results but surprisingly the difference was significant and very welcome. Only drawback is that total twisting motion for fully opening the throttle is a slight bit more.

The Motion Pro kit is obviously better with all those interchangeable reels and my mod devil tells me that one could easily design their own version and have it rapid-prototyped. Now that I think of it, it might have been a mistake not going for the MPK in the first place.
 
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